Fabianus Hyginos Sends a Message from his Jet on his way to Belkenial:

I am in full support of military intervention in Dovani to create international peace however Keymon will not be able to supply weapons or men. However we would be happy to lend out our patrol ships to scout enemy crafts. And I would also be happy to lend out any aeronautical vehicle to assist in the taking down of the Dovani regimes that have formed in the lack of kazulian presence. I propose however that instead of leaving again and possibly allowing these nations to fall to dictatorial government,we should consider making these empires join our respective organizations or empires. This would guarantee our influence in the region and guarantee that no more oppressive governments rise up.

"The Aldegar Canal, best canal, super watery and the best canal. I know canals. Theyre great. My dad went to Canal IT, he knew all about them. Very smart man. Canal expert. Aldegar canal. Best canal. Anyone else is fake canal news!"~Vescia

Statements from the Joint Headquarters of the Northern Council Treaty Organisation have confirmed that the Task Force sent amid Vanuku's use of a nuclear weapon on its conflict in Jelbania, had sailed through the Vanukean Blockade in defiance of the stunt pulled by the government in Wiel. The KNS-Queen Annette, the HMHS-Empress Sarah IV, the HMHS-Timothy Drumf and the ILS-Luthoria aircraft carriers and their respective battlegroups had reportedly sailed through the supposed Vanukean blockade, thus entering the Majatran Sea in direct defiance of the supposed blockade. According to Admiral Sveinung Dahlem, Commander of the KNS-Queen Annette aircraft carrier, the task force whilst moving through the blockade had been conducting exercises in preparation for an eventual peacekeeping force as Admiral Dahlem stated that the Task Force was en-route to the Jelbanian coast where it would disembark troops and begin the peacekeeping operation which the alliance had long promised. It had been previously stated that the Vanukean Navy had little to no capacity of blocking the task force from entering the sea as it did not field the integration, training and equipment fielding by the Task Force. According to some statements the Task Force's defiance of the blockade shattered the facade held by the Vanukean Navy of its perceived capabilities and capacity.

Admiral Dahlem wrote:We had observed the Vanukean ships as we sailed through the "blockade". A metaphorical starring contest ensued but we continued on our course to the Jelbanian coast. We are under orders to prepare for a peacekeeping intervention.

Under the banner of Freedom of Navigation, the Task Force sailed through the blockade stating that the government in Wiel would not have risked the destruction of its naval capabilities at the hands of engaging the Task Force. Sailors on board the various vessels within the task force stated that it was tense moment as the Task Force and the Vanukean blockade force watched each other go by. Immediately after passing the blockade, the various aircraft carriers carried out a series of air patrols throughout Majatra with some combatant aircraft landing in the Ellinor Ketelsen Airbase in Kalopia. A contingent of around 25,000 troops including CBRN specialists, medical personnel and mechanised infantry units and their associated equipment accompanies the 60 ship multinational task force.

A large-scale military training exercise has commenced involving more than 10 NOCTO nations and partners, part of efforts to both reassure NOCTO nations of the alliance's commitment to collective defence and security and to "test" the various NOCTO battlegroups and their preparedness for cold weather warfare operations. According to statements, the exercise in its core meaning is aimed at testing the interoperability of battle formations among the various nations involved in the exercise. For a period not extending 5 days, 40,000 troops and accompanying armoured vehicles, aircraft and combatant vessels will participate in what has been dubbed the largest cold weather exercise to come to the Arctic and White Ocean, a move likely to place an emphasis on the alliance's goal for fluid interoperability among its battle formations. The exercise sees nations such as Hutori, Kazulia, Dorvik, New Endralon, Egelion, Kundrati, Likatonia, Lourenne, Luthori, Klavia, Hulstria, Rutania, Valruzia, Dolgava and Telamon coordinate their efforts on a series of objectives set out in the exercise aimed at ensuring the nations are prepared for cold weather warfare.

Coined Exercise Arctic Lion '21, it includes manoeuvres such as water crossings, Mount and Dismounted movements, mountain warfare and armoured warfare. According to the Joint Headquarters, Arctic Lion exercises are usually hosted by the Kazulian Armed Forces in Arenheim however this year it will be hosted by the Hutorian Armed Forces in Northern Sutton. Non-NOCTO nations including Hawu Mumenhes, Mordusia and Valruzia are expected to participate in the exercise according to officials from Joint Headquarters. Hutori maintains an extensive cold weather warfare history, after fighting the Trigunian Armed Forces in harsh arctic climate during the Terran War, the nation has been designated as one of the most capable arctic warfare forces in the world. Kazulia and Hutori have been the leading voices for preparedness among the alliance's members. According to statements from the Joint Headquarters, the exercises conducted by the Northern Council Treaty Organisation are solely aimed at preparing the alliance for a possible eventuality.

Similar to Exercise Crimson Moon which pinned the Kazulian and Hutorian Air Forces against the entire alliance, Arctic Lion '21 will put the 1st Hutorian-Kazulian Brigade against 10,000 troops from the various participating nations. The 1st Hutorian-Kazulian Brigade has been dubbed the most combat capable cold weather battlegroup in the world as it combines the expertise of the Kazulian and Hutorian Armed Forces. According to the Joint Headquarters, the Northern Council's arctic lion exercises enabled cooperation among the alliance's nations whom "must be prepared for combat in all climates, terrains and seasons."

Northern Council Joint Headquarters Confirms Withdrawal of Nuclear Forces from Sea of Majatra

Admiral Nolan Kincaid, Chief of South Operations, for the Northern Council's Joint Headquarters, has publicly confirmed that the Northern Council's Joint Operations Fleet currently deployed in the Sea of Majatra that all nuclear capable forces have withdrawn from the theatre.

In a public press conference Admiral Kincaid spokes concerning ongoing issues with the situation in Deltaria that the ILS-Luthoria and the HMHS-Empress Sarah IV, and the three escorting Sentinel-class Submarines have withdrawn north of Selucia and are headed back to Turtle Bay following a tense standoff with the Istalian and Vanukean Navies.

While we are continuing to monitor the situation in Jelbania and the ongoing peace conference between the members of the Majatra Alliance, we have agreed to the terms set out with Vanuku to withdraw all nuclear forces from the Majatra theatre in exchange for Vanuku's Fourth Fleet exiting from Dovani. Further I can completely confirm that the elements of 6th Bomber Wing that were deployed in Kalopia have also been withdrawn. While we can not confirm that were nuclear equipped, they were very much nuclear capable and to ease tensions and in a sign of good faith they have also been drawn back to Alduria. The rest of the Joint Operations Fleet will remain deployed within the Sea of Majatra until Vanuku's Fourth Fleet has confirmed it is back within the Majatra theater at which point we will withdraw the remainder of our forces.

Orders for withdrawal were allegedly delayed from ongoing issues within the Northern Council's Joint Headquarters, and a change of leadership. While there were elements within Joint Headquarters that had urged the Northern Council to remain firm, a rumor has circulated that Empress Mary III stepped in and issued an executive order personally and drew back the Empress Sarah IV and Luthoria, both that are technically under Commonwealth Command, rather then directly under the Northern Council. Empress Mary III, who was recently disavowed of her titles in Vanuku by the newly crowned Monarch is said to have been influenced by her son, Crown Prince William, who is currently deployed in Vanuku at the Hutorian Embassy in Wiel; Crown Prince William serves as a Colonel within the Hutorian Royal Marine Corps is the current Marine Commandant of the Marine contingent.

Northern Council Issues Stern Warning to Dovani Union. "Pull Out, First and Last Warning"

The Northern Council has issued a single warning to the Dovani Union following their invasion of New Alduria. "Pull Out of New Alduria or you will face our might."

This has been the harshest rhetoric to leave Bekenial towards the ever expansionist Dovani Union to date, and it looks like this time NOCTO fully intends on following through on their threats; Luthorian Aircraft Carrier, ILS-Luthoria and it's escorting Battlegroup are known to have steamed east around Seleya, while Hutori's Seventh Fleet at Kazullia has been put on critical alert. To reinforce their point, NOCTO air patrols from the 5th and 6th Tactical Air Force, have been pinging the edge of DU airspace, daring a response from the Dovani Union's various national airforces.

It's unknown if the Dovani Union will step down in light of the Northern Council ramping up to war footing, though a spokesperson for General Anthony Bishop, Chief of Staff of the Northern Council's Joint Headquarters has stated that the Northern Council will not allow New Alduria to fall and that this was the red line and unless the Dovani Union pulled out immediately, the line would already be crossed.

Following through on their promise General Anthony Bishop has confirmed that the remaining two Northern Council Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups have withdrawn from the Sea of Majatra for deployment elsewhere, following through on a deal with Vanuku to withdraw and ease tensions between Majatra and the Northern Council.

The KNS-Queen Annette has exited east and met up with the HMHS-Empress Sarah IV and have been seen steaming east towards New Alduria as apart of the Northern Council intervention against the Dovani Union currently invading New Alduria. Meanwhile the HMHS-Timothy Drumf exited north and heading west to Dovani's eastern edge, where most analysts believe it'll pass through the Midway Canal and reinforce Ostland in the inner Dovani Sea; the presence of the Timothy Drumf in central Dovani is likely to dissuade the Dovani Union from invading any further north and to serve as a deterrent against further aggression to nations currently not members of the Dovani Union.